Aston Villa returned to action in the Under-18 Premier League South with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Reading to consolidate their challenge near the top of the table.
Sean Verity’s side had not been in league action since the end of November but picked up where they left off as they recorded an eighth win from 10 matches.
The Young Lions are currently two points off top spot with two games in hand, with a trip to West Ham United up next on Saturday.
Taylor-Jay Hart opened the scoring against the Royals just before the half-hour mark when he rounded off a fine team move with a well-taken finish from 18 yards.
Brad Young doubled the lead and continued his impressive campaign six minutes later, converting a superb first-time finish at the edge of the area from Hayden Lindley’s corner.
Villa made it 3-0 in the 64th minute following a swift counter-attack which saw substitute Tristan Abldeen-Goodridge cross for Dewain Sewell to slot home.
Young then wrapped up victory with his second of the game and ninth league goal of the season 10 minutes from time, finishing Kaine Kesler’s right-wing cross.
Villa: Zych, Kesler, Ealing, Appiah, Swinkels (Zito 82), Lindley, Afoka (Abldeen-Goodridge 62), Hart (O’Reilly 67), Young, T Rowe, Sewell.
Subs: Reddin.
